My little business/vacation trip is officially coming to an end. Call me a sentimental fool. But this goodbye is bittersweet. I miss my family and can't wait for the REAL vacation at home with no work, and true rest. But, I love this place. It's easy to get around and it's chock full of things to do. It really opened my eyes and helped me see how this state has huge misconceptions. It is NOT one big giant sandbox. It offers such a wide array of views, weather changes, landscapes, and activities.

The more I get off that island I call home, the more I am enticed to live OFF of it. Like I said in a previous blog, the grass is always greener on the other side. I know as soon as I get off this cloud and back to "reality", my feelings of loving Arizona may fade or even disappear. Who knows? I am going to continue to bask in this infatuation with the Grand Canyon state until the tires of my plane leave the ground.

It was wonderful to finally meet the people I have been working with for 6 years face to face. It's like meeting a long lost relative. It's mind boggling how deep human interaction is. How we can build such bonds from a distance and NEVER meet. As soon as we see or hear each other, it's as if we've lived right next door to each other for years.

Since this was my last day here, my co-workers took me out for a quick breakfast this morning. We hit up this cute little diner, Alexi's. This place reminds me of Eagle Cafe on Nimitz Highway. This perfectly sized breakfast was a whopping $3.99. SHUT UP!

Eggs alone cost more than that in Hawaii. You'd think our chickens laid golden ones! No gold in these but the food was good. The french toast was perfect just like that. No syrup needed. The bacon was crispier than an 80's wave hairstyle drenched in aqua net.

It filled me up just enough. No kanak attacks today! Not YET, anyway.

On my way down to the airport I took the 51 South. This was my first time going down this highway and the views once again were OUTSTANDING. I was in awe, AGAIN.

I wish I could've taken pictures. But doing 70 on the freeway didn't allow for me to snag my iphone to snap pictures at the same time. Soon, I was passing what I'm guessing is Scottsdale?? The homes were RIDICULOUS. You think Hawaii Kai and Waialae Ridge homes are nice? They don't even come close to what I saw on the hillsides here.

When I returned my car and waited for my shuttle to the terminal, this was my view. The rock formations, mountains, whatever they are, are so beautiful. I felt sad. Not just because I'm leaving. But because my family wasn't here to experience all of this with me.

I left a little early to the airport in fear of Thanksgiving travel horror. Long lines, full shuttles, and the worst part, security.

To my surprise, I must've gotten here right before the mad rush. There were no lines. The place is a ghost town. It was so empty in security I didn't know WHICH line to choose.

Of course, now that its wide open, they have to dig in my bag. sigh. Then I remembered why. I have mugs with pistol handles from Cabelas. LMAO! woops. I'm sure that flagged the xray guy. Which reminds me, Please lord let my fudge not get completely demolished on my way home.

On my way up to the gates, I saw this plane that I didn't get to take a picture of on my way in. This is a real plane flown in WWII. Yes, I actually watched a video about it. I'm a geek, what can I say. History was never interesting to me until now. Now, that I'm getting old and the stories that were once just "stories and news" are now being taught in schools as history. gasp.

And just so you know how much of a tard I am, I say bye to inanimate things just because I'm weird like that.

On my way out of my hotel room, I said, "Bye room, I'm gonna miss you soft bed and down pillows. I'm gonna miss you my big ass bathroom and living room and desk that came with a maid. g'bye"

As I walked away from my rental car, "bye arizona, im gonna miss you. it was fun and so beautiful."

Yes, I said all of that OUT LOUD. Because if I say it out loud, it makes it REAL. Sometimes life feels like a dream and I need to do that to validate that it really did happen. I know, I'm fricken weird. And that is why you all love me! :)

Until my next adventure, I'm signing off now. G'bye!!! and Happy Turkey Day!! Stay out of those ridiculous lines at stores please. Thanksgiving is about being thankful for what you HAVE. Not wasting your time in line to save $100 on an electronic device that takes your attention away from family.